BioCision Announces Two New U.S. Patents for Thermo-Conductive Products that Standardize Sample Handling in Laboratory Research

Larkspur, Calif., June 19, 2013 ­ BioCision, a leader in advanced products to improve sample standardization and handling in many areas of medical and scientific research, announced today the issuance of new patents by the U.S. Patent Office that apply to two of the company's thermo-conductive products developed to standardize sample handling to ensure the consistency of test conditions and accuracy of results in common laboratory procedures.

Patent number 8,388,912 covers CoolSink® Plate Modules, which provide a solid, sturdy interface between laboratory sample plates and a heat sink, such as ice, or a heat source. The modules are made of a thermo-conductive alloy that maintains an even temperature across all wells in the plate, eliminating any "edge effect" where content from the wells close to the perimeter of the plate change temperature more rapidly than those in the center of the plate. This helps maintain samples at a desired temperature while keeping them dry and sterile, which are optimal conditions for ELISA, multiplex immunoassays, enzyme assays, and cell washing steps.

In addition, BioCision's ThermalTray Platforms were awarded patent number 8,460,621. The platforms support sample racks or plates in liquid and semi-solid heat sinks and sources such as melting ice, water baths, and liquid nitrogen. Eliminating direct contact between a sample tube or plate and melting ice or bath water protects against potential water-borne contaminants. The platforms are made of a thermo-conductive alloy, assisting in the transfer of heat between samples and a temperature source.

"These new patents reflect the innovation and new opportunities to improve sample standardization that our products represent," said Rolf Ehrhardt, MD, PhD, BioCision CEO. "This patent protection provides significant support for our continuing efforts to help research institutions in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, clinical, diagnostic, academic, and government scientific communities to set entirely new standards for performance in sample handling."

Ensuring reproducible temperature profiles and standardizing temperature-sensitive lab procedures are essential goals in a wide array of scientific disciplines, including cell and tissue culture, cryopreservation, histology, immunohistochemistry, virus and bacterial research, molecular biology, cell therapy, pharmaceutical manufacturing, biofuels research and many others. Advances in technology to control temperature in sample handling can improve accuracy of test results, which can have a direct impact on diagnosis and patient outcomes. In addition, improvements in sample standardization can improve the ability of researchers around the world to replicate important research results.

About BioCision, LLC

BioCision is a leading provider of innovative tools for standardizing sample and biomaterial handling, cryopreservation and storage procedures. BioCision products are used worldwide by researchers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic and health care industries. For more information visit www.biocision.com, or visit the BioCision blog for news and expert insight at http://blog.biocision.com/. Follow @BioCision on Twitter and "Like" the BioCision Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BioCisionLLC